Purposes



(No Model.) 4 ASheets.Shet H.LOCHER.

CABLEl WAY FOR DUMPING PURPOSES.

No. 570,429, Patented Oct. 27, 1896l ck s l LEM #I E h: P* L 15 d E m YY Pfl L m ,q

ry u

ggxgggm @y M;

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. H. LOGI-IER. CABLE WAY POR DUMPINGPURPOSES.

Patented 001;. 27, 18916.

(NovModel) l{Sheetzs--Sheet 3.

, 0.H.L0GHBR.

CABLE WAY POR DUMPNG PURPOSES.

No. 70,429. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

TH: News pas@ co., wom-UND WMHFWWN' D' c' (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet r4.

C. H. LOCHER.

CABLE WAY POR DUMPINGPURPOSBS. No. 570,429. Patented Oct. ,27,.1896lKw/5.055%, 'b @5MM/LW@ im: mms PETERS oo., PNcTaLlTHo., wAsulNuwmmA-UNITED STATES PATENT muon.

CHARLES I-I. LOGI-IER, OF ROOKBRIDGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

CABLEWAY FOR DUMPING PURPOSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,429, dated October27, 1896. Application filed November l, 1894. Serial No. 527,613. (NomodeL T0 LZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES H. LocHER, a resident of the county ofRookbridge and State of Virginia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Oableways forDumpin g Purposes; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

- My invention relates to the construction of cable or like ways fordumping purposes and the apparatus for controlling the movements of thecarriage traveling thereon and carrying the skip or bucket.

In an application for patent filed by me on January 9, 1894, Serial No.496,246, I have described a eableway for dumping purposes in which thecarriage is operated by apparatus at the end of the way, which controlsthe movement of the carriage and of the skip or bucket, so that thecarriage can be brought to any desired point, the skip or bucket loweredfrom or raised to the carriage and carried with the carriage along thecableway, and the load dumped in mid-air therefrom at any desired placealong the cableway. The present invention relates to apparatus of thesame general nature, though it is applicable to any cable or like wayemployed for the carrying of loads. In the apparatus heretofore employedfor these general purposes it has been found necessary to employ meansfor supporting the operating-ropes which travel out with the carriage soas to hold them from sagging between the carriage and the operatingtower or frame, it having been found that unless such means forpreventing the sagging of the rope are employed the weight of the ropewill materially interfere with the operation of the skip or bucket onthe carriage, because when such skip or bucket is removed from thecarriage, such as in changing from one bucket to another, the weight ofthe rope between the tower andcarriage is greater than that dependingfrom the carriage, and therefore operates to draw up that rope andblocks toward the carriage. To prevent this sagging of the rope and theentanglingof the operating-ropes with each other when slack, suitablehangers have been employed on the cableway, which were controlled bywhat was termed a buttonrope, which extended parallel to the mainsupporting cableway and had a series of buttons of different sizes onit, which buttons engaged with different hangers, so that as thecarriage was moved from the tower the hangers would be caught by thebuttons on the rope, which were placed at suitable intervals, and thesehangers would support the operating-ropes an d prevent the saggingthereof, and when the carriage was drawn toward the tower the severalhangers would be taken up by a hook upon the carriage and carriedtherewith toward the tower. Such apparatus has been found objectionable,because the carriage was necessarily run at a slower speed thandesirable to prevent too great jar to the whole apparatus, andespecially the carriage, the hangers, and the buttons on the button-ropeas the hangers were paid off from or taken up by the carriage, and,further, because these parts were very liable to get out of order and itrequired a stoppage of the whole apparatus until they were repaired.

hy the apparatus described in the present application I am enabled tohold the several ropes taut, so that all lia-bility of sagging thereofis overcome, and the ropes depending from the carriage always remain inthe position to which they are naturally brought by the movement of theapparatus, while I do away entirely with the button-rope and hangers andam enabled to operate the whole apparatus at a much increased speed.

To these ends my invention comprises, generally stated, a cableway ortrack, a carriage traveling thereon,and a drive-rope for moving thecarriage, and a rope extending from the end of the way to the carriageand having both ends thereof. connected to winding means, said rope inthis way being held taut, so that'there is no sag therein, while therope controls the movements of the skip or bucket hanging from thecarriage.

It also comprises the employment, with such rope controlling themovement of the carriage, a supplemental or loop rope connected theretoand directly supporting the skip or bucket upon the carriage, so that bythe movement of this rope along the cableway` the bucket maybe loweredor raised or dumped at any point desired.

It also comprises certain other improvements, which will be hereinafterset forth and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich IOO Figure l is a view of a cableway having the apparatusembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the ends ofthe towers an d the carriage and operative mechanism, illustrating-oneform of apparatus. Fig. 3 is a like view illustrating another view ofsame. Fig. 4; is a plan view of the winding mechanism preferablyemployed in the invention. Fig. 5 is a side view, partly broken away, ofsuch winding mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a detail diagram perspective,illustrating the arrangement of the ropes in the carriage.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

illy invention .is illustrated in connection with a cableway for dumpingpurposes, though it is to be understood that it may be employed with anysuitable track supported at a suitable height for carrying on theoperations desired-namely, the lifting or lowering of the load to anydesired position, the carrying of said load along the cableway or track,the dumping of the load, the return of the carriage and its skip orbucket to receive another load, or other desired movements.

In the apparatus illustrated, A is the operating-tower on the one sideof the excavation B, and C is the supporting-tower on the other side ofthe excavation. Said towers are supported on suitable trucks a. and c,respectively7 which are preferably arranged to run on tracks a c bysuitable wheels, as shown, so that the cableway system may be movedalong the excavation to any point at which it is desired to employ it.The two towers are connected by the main cable D, which is a heavy wirecable extending between the upper ends of the towers, the outer ends ofthe cable being carried from the tops of the towers down to the outerends of the trucks and anchored there. This-cable serves as the track onwhich the carriage E travels, the carriage supporting the skip, bucket,or dirt-carrier L.

For the purpose of moving the carriage upon the cableway D, I employ thedrive-rope F, which extends from the operating-drum f up over a pulley fto one end of the carriage, as at f2, and from the other end of thecarriage at f3 to a pulley f4 in the supportingtower C, and thencearound the pulley f5 in the upper end of said tower over the pulley f atthe upper end of the operating-tower,

and thence down to the drum f, passing onto the drum at the oppositeside from that at which it started, the rope being coiled for severalcoils around this drum f, which serves to drive it.

I will irst describe the preferred arrangement of the ropes inconnection with the operation of the skip or bucket L, stating that forthat purpose I employ what I term a hoisting-rope K, a dumping-rope P,and what I term the slack-rope l-I, these three ropes extending down todifferent drums, the hoisting-rope winding on the drum k, thedumping-rope on the drum p, and the slack-rope on the drum 71. Theseropes extend up over separate pulleys at the upper end of theoperating-tower, the pulley k for the hoisting-rope and pulley p for thedumping-rope being shown, while the pulley for the slackrope is back ofthe pulley p for the dumprope, and the three ropes extend to thecarriage E. The hoisting-rope and dump-rope each then pass around aloose pulley h', mounted on the carriage, having a face for each rope,and are united to the slack-rope, as at h2, the single slack-rope inthis case acting to hold both the hoisting-rope and dump-rope taut. Itis to, be understood, however, that, if desired, a separate slack-ropeforeach one of these ropes may be employed, as illustrated with the formof apparatus shown in Fig. 3, and that throughout the description theslackrope may be considered the equivalent of separate ropes to take upthe slack in each. As so constructed, it is evident that when thecarriage is stationary, by winding up the hoisting-rope and dump-ropeand braking up the drum carrying the slack-rope the lines may be heldtaut while feeding off from the drum h and being taken up on the hoistand dump rope drums k and p, and when it is desired to move the ropes inthe opposite direction, by winding up the slack-rope H and braking up onthe drums k and p, carrying the hoist and dump ropes, the several ropescan be held taut while moving over the pulley 7L.

The skip or bucket L is supported from the blocks m n by suitable chainsZ Z Z2, and these blocks are supported from the carriage by what I termsupplemental7 or loop ropes, the hoisting-loop M extending from theblock m around a pulley m2 on the carriage, thence around a pulley onthe block m and around the guide-pulley m3, whence it extends to thehoisting-rope K, and is spliced or united thereto at m'. Thedumping-loop N extends from the block n around the pulley oon thecarriage, and thence around a pulley in the block a and around anotherpulley on the carriage back of the pulley n2, extending to the joint n',where it is spliced to the dumping-rope I).

It will be understood that the several drums at the end of the way inthe truck a are driven in any suitable way and are located in anysuitable position, so that they can be turned at the same speed oroperated separately, or freed from the operative mechanism and held bybrakes, as desired. I find the arrangement illustrated the mostconvenient for the purpose, and I will describe the same only brieiiy,as such drums are well known. The engines Q are connected to adriving-shaft Q', which carries a pinion cf, which meshes withgear-wheels q2 Q3 on drum-shafts Q4 qi", turning such shafts in the samedirections. Suitable clutch mechanism on the faces of the gear-wheelsqgqs, and upon the drums on each side thereof, respectively, act toconnect the drums with the gear-wheels, so that they are turned with thegear-wheels and their ICO IIO

drum-shafts, the drums f and connecting with the gear-wheel g2 and thedrums h and p connecting with the gear-wheel It is not considerednecessary to illustrate or describe the clutch mechanism. The severaldrums carry brakes i', r', r2, and r3, respectively, and levers extendfrom the operating-bench R to operate the clutches and brakes, suchmechanism being well known, so that it is not necessary to illustrate itin detail. The several ropes extend to the several drumsin such way thatthey may all be wound up or paid ont therefrom at the same speed inorder to obtain the necessary movements hereinafter described.

In the apparatus constructed as above described, the operation ofraising, transporting, and dumping the load is practically as follows:The connections of the loop-ropes M and N with the hoisting and dumpropes K and P are such as to provide a full length of the loop-ropesnecessary for lowering the skip into the excavation or pit. supposing,then, that the carriage is brought over the pit, while it is so held theoperator winds up the slack-rope H, which draws the hoisting and dumpropes K and P toward the carriage and enables the loop-ropes M and N tolower the bucket into the excavatiomwhere it is filled, or anotherbucket which has Vbeen filled is connected to it. As all slack of thehoisting and dumping ropes is taken up during this operation by thedraft upon the slack-rope ll, the loop-ropes M and N remain in theposition to which they have been lowered, all liability of sagging ofthe hoisting and dump ropes which might cause the raising of the blocksm n being overcome. Then the skip is connected to the loop-ropes, theoperator then causes the Windin g of the hoisting-rope K and dump-ropeP, permitting the unwinding of the slack-rope H under the friction `ofthe brake on the drum h, which raises the load to the desired height. Tomove it with the carriage away from the excavation and to the desiredpoint above the spoil-bank B, he Winds up the endless or drive rope andat the same time winds up all the other ropes, that is, the hoist-ropeK, the dump-rope P, and the slack-rope H, and in that way holds the skipat the desired height, and by winding on the slack-rope at the same timethat he winds on the hoisting and dump ropes he holds all three of theseropes taut and prevents the entanglement thereof. When it is desired todump the load, he can stop the movement of all the ropes and then windon the slack-rope H, holding the dumping-rope P and its loop N taut bymeans of a brake, but freeing the hoisting-rope K, leaving it free topermit the slackening of the looprope M, so as to lower the front of theskip and discharge the load;A and after the load is discharged he canfree the dump-rope P from the brake, so that the weight of the skip Willdraw on the loop-rope N and` draw the skip back to normal position. `Ifhe `desires to dump in transitas the carriage is moving toward theoperating-tower, he simply loosens the hoisting-rope and permits it toslacken, but continues to wind on all the other ropes, so permitting thefront of the skip to lower and discharge the load. He then stops all theropes and can wind up the hoisting--rope to bring the skip to its normalposition, or when the carriage is returned to the excavation byreversing the movement of the driverope F and paying out all the otherropes while holding them taut by the brakes at their respective drums,he takes up the slack of the hoisting-rope.

The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3 is capable of performing practicallythe same operations and it is of the same construction, except that Ihave illustrated it with the hoisting and dump ropes each extending tothe supporting-tower C, and thence back over pulleys in the upper end ofthe operating-tower A to the ope rating-drums. The hoisting-rope Kextends to and through the carriage E and thence, as at K', to thepulley s in the supporting-tower and back to the pulley s in theoperating-tower and to an operating-drum, the loop-rope M being mountedin the manner described in connection with Fig. 2 and united to thehoisting-rope at m. In like manner the dumping-rope P extends to andthrough the carriage E, and thence, as at P, to the pulley 32 in thesupporting-tower, and thence over the pulley s3 in the operating-towerto an voperating-drum. If desired, the extensions of the hoisting anddump ropes may be united and carried as a single slack-rope to the drumon the truck, the extensions K P, which form the slack-ropes, beingillustrated in Fig. 3 as separate ropes to show that it may be employedeither way. The operation of this apparatus is practically the same asthat above described, except th at in the movement of the carriage alongthe main cable the rope is either being wound onto the hoisting anddump-rope drums and wound off the slackrope drums, or, if the carriageis moving the opposite direction, it is being Wound onto the slack-ropedrums and wound off the hoisting and dumping rope drums, being, ofcourse, held taut by the brakes as above described.

The operation can be briefly stated as follows: When the skip is abovethe excavation, it is lowered into the same, While the carriage is heldfrom movement by winding up the slack ropes K and P and unwinding thehoisting and dumping ropes, which slackens up the loop-ropes M and N andpermits the lowering of the skip. The load is raised by Winding upthehoisting and dump ropes and unwinding the slack-rope until the skipis brought to the desired height. The operator then moves the carriageby the movement of the endless rope, at the same time winding up thehoisting-rope and dump-ropes and unwinding the slack-rope, so holdingthe load at the desired height. If he desires to dump in transit, hesimply loosens the hoist-rope,

ICO

IIO

continuing to wind on the dump-ro pe and the endless rope, which permitsthe front end of the skip to be lowered and discharge the load. If hedesires to dump while the carriage is held stationary, he stops all theropes and then winds up the slack-ropes while holding the dumping-ropetaut and leaving the hoistingrope free, which permits the same toslacken so as to lower the front end of the skip and cause the dumpingof the load. Ile then frees the dumping-rope and the weight of the skipwill draw it into its normal position. Ile can then take up the slack ofthe ropes K and P and start the carriage back toward the excavation. Ifhe employs separate slack-ropes, connected to the hoistingrope anddumping-rope, respectively, he can dump while the carriage is stationaryby simply holding the d umpin g-rope stationary and winding up theslack-rope K/ while unwinding the hoisting-rope K, which would permit ofthe lowering of the front end of the skip and the discharge of the load.

I have described the apparatus in the different ways in which it may beconstructed and operated, butit is to be understood that where the sameresult can be obtained in practically the same way by otherconstructions of drums or equivalent arrangement of ropes it is includedin the invention; and also that any other suitable form of track is alsoincluded in the invention. My invention may also be employed foroperating the eableway where a single rope for supporting the skip fromthe carriage is employed, such as where the dumping operation isobtained by other mechanism than that herein described.

As the button-rope and the carriers operated thereby are entirelydispensed with, I am enabled to operate the apparatus at much higherspeeds than when such devices are employed, there being no limit to thespeed of the apparatus except the power of the engines and the necessarycontrol of the apparatus according to the operations to be performed. Bydispensing with such carriers I also reduce the liability to breakageand cost of repairs, a very important item in connectionwith suchdumping apparatus.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination of a eableway or track, a carriage traveling thereonand a drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, askip or bucket sustained by the carriage, a rope controlling themovements of the skip sustained bythe carriage, both ends of said ropeextending from the carriage to the end of the way and connected toseparate moving means, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a eableway or track, a carriage traveling thereonand a drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, arope having both ends extending from the carriage to the ends of theway, and connectedto separate winding means, a skip or bucket, and aloop-rope connected to said latter rope and supporting the skip orbucket from the carriage, substantially as set forth.

The combination of a eableway or track, a carriage traveling thereon anda drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, a skipor bucket, ahoisting-rope and a dump-rope each extending from the end ofthe way to the carriage and winding means therefor, said ropes eachhaving a loop-rope connected thereto and supporting the skip or bucketfrom the carriage, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a cablewayor track, a carriage traveling thereonand a drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, askip or bucket, a hoisting-rope and a dump-rope, each extending from theend of the way to the carriage and having both ends of said ropesconnected to winding means, and loop-ropes connected to saidhoisting-rope and dumping-rope, respectively,and supporting the skiporbucket from the carriage, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a eableway or track, a carriage traveling thereonand a drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, askip or bucket, a hoisting-rope and a dumping-rope each having windingmeans at the end of the way, and extending thence to the carriage, saidropes being then united and extending to winding means at the end of theway, said hoisting and dumping ropes controlling the skip, substantiallyas set forth.

G. The combination of a eableway or track, a carriage traveling thereonand a drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, askip or bucket, a rope extending from the end of the way to the carriageand thence around a pulley on the carriage and back. to the end of theway and connected to winding means, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a eableway or track, a carriage traveling thereonand a drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, askip or bucket, a hoisting-rope and a dumping-rope each extending fromthe end of the way to the carriage and passing around a pulley on thecarriage and thence back to the end of the way and connected to awinding means, substantially as set forth.

8, The combination of a eableway or track, a carriage traveling thereonand a drive-rope for moving said carriage and winding means therefor, askip or bucket, a rope extending from the end of the way to the carriageand thence around a pulley on the carriage and back to the end of theway and having both ends connected to winding means, and a loopropeconnected to said rope and sustaining the skip or bucket from thecarriage, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said CHARLES Il. LOCHER, have hereunto setmy hand.

CHARLES H. LOCIIER. IVitnesses:

GEO. IVEIMER, JOHN T. DERBY.

IOO

IIO

